Ever Thought About Getting A Tattoo? Here's 3 Things to Keep in Mind

Over breakfast, my friends and I were talking about tattoos. I have one tattoo. I won't tell you what or where, save it to say that it's commemorative. I want more, and I have some ideas, but I'm hesitant to apply a permanent mark that is tied to a single idea, thesis or person. My friend Patrick articulates best how I feel about tattoos: "Never tie yourself to a trend." Still I want more. When it comes to guys and tattoos, here are some of my thoughts:

Over breakfast, my friends and I were talking about tattoos. I have one tattoo. I won't tell you what or where, save it to say that it's commemorative. I want more, and I have some ideas, but I'm hesitant to apply a permanent mark that is tied to a single idea, thesis or person. My friend Patrick articulates best how I feel about tattoos: "Never tie yourself to a trend." Still I want more. When it comes to guys and tattoos, here are some of my thoughts:

1. People and Their Names Are a Mistake

Johnny Depp famously got "Winona Forever" tattooed on his arm. When he and Ms. Five-Finger-Discount split ways, he had the "na" removed so that it read "Wino Forever." But you're not Johnny Depp, and neither is your dude. People change. So do feelings. If you're looking for a permanent grand gesture, go with jewelry or something inscribed (same goes with groups of people: your frat, your sorority, your team, your country, your club, your camp…so unimpressive).

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Fun Tattoos Can Be Fun__

I'm not talking about Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes on your bicep, or Tigger on your butt, I mean the tattoo you get at 3:00 in the morning, on a bet or because you're just feeling crazy. I certainly don't love all of these, or even most of them, but my friends and I have a certain grudging admiration that the wearer had the stones to embrace such frivolity.

3. Originality is King

A great friend of ours and his wife had tattoos on their ring fingers as wedding bands. If that had been done before, I'd never seen it. Having something that no one else has is really the most attractive aspect of a tattoo for me. And I'm impressed when someone has some ink that I never would have thought of. After all, why would you want to look like anyone else, especially when it's forever?

While I'm impressed by uniqueness, originality is something that's hard to fake, and it's easy to misstep while trying to achieve it. I think Patrick says it best: "If I opened a tattoo place it would be called Mistake. Or Half-Price Mistakes."

Do you like tattoos on guys? Do you have any tattoos? What would you get?